In an epic political fail, President Joe Biden during Thursday night’s globally watched debate confirmed virtually every adverse impression and disquieting concern voters express about his age, physical frailty, and cognitive decline.
From the moment he shuffled onto the stage at CNN’s Atlanta studio, to a cringeworthy brain freeze a few moments into the event, and a muddled closing statement that omitted key arguments of his case against Donald Trump, the president spoke in a weak and raspy voice as he lost his train of thought at several points and, at others, served up confusing and tangled responses.
Although Biden’s performance strengthened as the debate went on, and he scored some points on Trump’s legal problems, the pandemic, and climate change, the president was most often on defense. His visage reflected every one of his 81 years.